DOYLESTOWN, PA—Central Bucks residents got a rare chance to see the Northern Lights on Thursday night for the first time in about 20 years.
The rose-colored lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, rolled into the northern skies above the Philadelphia around 5 p.m., when the “severe geomagnetic storm” that produced them peaked. It wasn’t until a couple of hours later, however, that the lights were visible to the human eye (and cellphone cameras).
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A view of the northern lights above Peace Valley Park on Oct. 10, 2024.
Scientists said that the storm that produced the lights left the sun on Tuesday night. It reached Earth while traveling 1.5 million miles per hour.
The Space Center warned that the geomagnetic storm could interfere with the area’s power grids and telecommunication networks. Officials noted that they weren’t completely clear on what other effects the storm could have on the area, but as of Thursday night, there were no reports of problems.